Martyrs Nicophorus

CONCERNING THE HOLY MARTYRS NICOPHORUS, DIODORUS,

PAPIAS, MACCARES, TELLAS, FELIX, CAIUS, ENUCULUS, JANUARIUS, QUINQUIANUS,

MANSUETUS, HERMES, ZETHAS, DONATUS, SERVILIA, VENERIA, BASSILIA,

JANUARIA, STERCOLA, SILVANA, MARNINTA, RUFUNIA.

Nicophorus, Martyr (Saint) Diodorus, Martyr (Saint) Papias, Martyr (Saint) Maccares, Martyr (Saint) Tellas, Martyr (Saint) Felix, Martyr (Saint) Caius, Martyr (Saint) Enuculus, Martyr (Saint) Januarius, Martyr (Saint) Quinquianus, Martyr (Saint) Mansuetus, Martyr (Saint) Hermes, Martyr (Saint) Zethas, Martyr (Saint) Donatus, Martyr (Saint) Servilia, Martyr (Saint) Veneria, Martyr (Saint) Bassilia, Martyr (Saint) Januaria, Martyr (Saint) Stercola, Martyr (Saint) Silvana, Martyr (Saint) Marninta, Martyr (Saint) Rufunia, Martyr (Saint)

G. H.

[1] This is the second group of illustrious Martyrs, recorded in the ancient manuscript of the Roman Martyrology, or that of St. Jerome, written nearly a thousand years ago, which concludes the 28th day of February and the rest of the month with these words: And elsewhere, of Nicoporus, A group of 22 Martyrs Didorus, Papias, Maccaris, Tellas, Felix, Gagus, Enuculus, Januarius, Quinquianus, Mansuetus, Hermes, Zethas, Donatus, Servilia, Veneria, Bassilia, Januaria, Stercola, Silvana, Marnintia, Rufunia. Of these, all those recorded after Donatus seem to have been women: whether among the former, Tellas and Zethas should be written as they are like Papias and considered men, whether Caius and Felix belong to the Alexandrian Martyrs? among whom they are placed, or should be called Tella and Zetha, is not sufficiently clear. In place of Gagus we have put Caius: this is a familiar error of scribes. Concerning him and Felix, it may be asked whether both belong to the Alexandrian Martyrs, since they are joined to them in various manuscripts. But because those manuscripts do not mention this group of Saints, I would prefer to recall those two to this place. There will perhaps be someone who thinks they should be placed in both lists.

[2] She who is called Servilia here is called Servilianus in the small ancient manuscript of St. Maximin, whether Rufinia is Rufinus, and Maccaris Macarius, recorded above? unless she is perhaps from the Martyrs of Smyrna, about whom we treated on February 27. In the Paris manuscript of our Labbe, mention is made of Caia and Rufina; for the former Caius should be substituted, ascribed to these Martyrs: and perhaps Rufunia, unless in both places Rufinus is rather to be read, and in place of Maccaris also Macarius, for whom Macaria appears in the Prague and St. Maximin manuscripts: and thus Saints Macarius and Rufinus recorded above would belong to these. Let that be for the judgment of others who discern more acutely in these matters. In the manuscript Martyrology of Marianus Gorman, Abbot of Lyon in Ireland, the memory of Mansuetus the Confessor is celebrated, Mansuetus elsewhere held to be a Confessor who is unknown to us, unless he is the Mansuetus indicated among these Martyrs.

[3] Most celebrated is the mention on various days of seven Martyrs killed in Egypt under Numerian: whose names also on this day are found partly in the first group and partly in this one: and these were recorded above: Victorinus, Victor, Claudianus or Claudius, and Serapion: the remaining three placed in first position are Nicophorus, other 7 Martyrs of the same name are venerated on February 21 Diodorus, and Papias. We recorded all of them along with the Roman Martyrology on February 25, and we said that Diodorus is called by the Greeks, as here, what the Latins call Dioscorus. But since in the same ancient Martyrology of St. Jerome, four are recorded among the Egyptian Martyrs on February 24 -- Victorinus, Victor, and Serapion, who correspond to these Martyrs of the first group, and Nicophorus also, who is recorded here in first place -- we decided to change nothing. We said that Nicephorus is mentioned by Galesini and Canisius, and placed at Rome as having suffered under Diocletian with others, and that this is not sufficiently proved to us.